IgA Concentrations Research Articles

Epstein–Barr Virus (EBV) DNA as a Potential Marker of in vivo Immunity in Professional Footballers

ABSTRACT Introduction: Team sport athletes have increased susceptibility to upper respiratory symptoms (URS) during periods of intensified training and competition. Reactivation of Epstein–Barr Virus (EBV) may be a novel marker for risk of upper respiratory illness (URI) in professional athletes. Aims: To investigate changes in salivary EBV DNA (in addition to the well-established marker, salivary secretory immunoglobulin A), and incidence of URS in professional footballers. Methods: Over a 16-week period (August to November 2016), 15 male players from a professional English football League 1 club provided weekly unstimulated saliva samples (after a rest day) and recorded URS. Saliva samples were analyzed for secretory IgA (ELISA) and EBV DNA (qPCR). Results: Whole squad median (interquartile range) saliva IgA concentration and secretion rate significantly decreased (p < .05) between weeks 8 and 12 (concentration, 107 (76–150) mg/L healthy baseline to 51 (31–80) mg/L at week 12; secretion rate 51 (30–78) µg/min healthy baseline to 22 (18–43) µg/min at week 12). Two players reported URS episodes during week 10, both after IgA secretion rate decreased below 40% of the individual’s healthy baseline. EBV DNA was detected in the weeks before URS but also at other times and in healthy players (overall frequency 40%, range 11–78%) and frequency was similar between the URS and healthy group. Conclusion: These findings confirm salivary IgA as a useful marker of URS risk but EBV DNA was not. Further research capturing a greater number of URS episodes is required, however, to fully determine the utility of this marker.

Иммунологические аспекты острого периода ишемического инсульта

Актуальность. В статье проанализирован характер изменения фенотипического состава лимфоцитов крови, содержания IgA, IgG, IgM и фракционного состава иммунных комплексов у пациентов с ишемическим инсультом и хронической ишемией мозга. Цель исследования: изучить характер нарушений клеточного и гуморального звеньев иммунитета в остром периоде ишемического инсульта. Материалы и методы. Провели сравнительное клинико-иммунологическое обследование 85 пациентов в остром периоде ишемического инсульта (основная группа) и 66 пациентов с хронической ишемией мозга (контрольная группа). Для оценки клеточного иммунитета использовали показатели иммунофенотипирования клеток крови — абсолютное и процентное содержание популяции Т- и В-лимфоцитов, их основных субпопуляций: Т-хелперов, цитотоксических Т-клеток, субпопуляции натуральных киллеров. Для оценки гуморального иммунитета исследовали содержание основных классов иммуноглобулинов (IgA, IgG, IgM) и циркулирующих иммунных комплексов. Результаты. В остром периоде инсульта наблюдали повышение количества лейкоцитов (р = 0,028) и снижение уровня лимфоцитов (р = 0,031), зрелых Т-лимфоцитов (р = 0,002), Т-хелперов (р = 0,027) и цитотоксических Т-лимфоцитов (р = 0,045). Отмечена тенденция к снижению количества натуральных киллеров (р = 0,45). В гуморальном звене иммунитета наблюдалось увеличение В-лимфоцитов (р = 0,048), дисгаммаглобулинемия за счет повышения уровня IgG (р = 0,048) и тенденции к гиперфункции IgА и IgМ (р = 0,5). Изменения показателей иммунного статуса более выражены при увеличении тяжести инсульта. Выводы. Данное исследование доказывает вовлечение иммунной системы в сложный комплекс реакций, участвующих в развитии инфарктов мозга.

Клинический случай синдрома Луи-Бар с клинической картиной мозжечковой атаксии и EBV-индуцированного лимфопролиферативного синдрома

В данном описании клинического случая представлена история болезни ребенка в возрасте 2 лет и 6 месяцев с картиной синдрома Луи-Бар. Отмечались проявления прогрессирующей мозжечковой атаксии, бруксизма, глазодвигательной апраксии и доброкачественного лимфопролиферативного синдрома, вызванного вирусом Эпштейна — Барр. Признаков телеангиэктазий не отмечалось, что может быть объяснено возрастом ребенка. При иммунологическом исследовании идентифицированы признаки комбинированного иммунодефицита с лимфопенией, снижением количества Т-хелперов и цитотоксических Т-лимфоцитов в крови, а также низкой сывороточной концентрацией молекул IgA. Содержание альфа-фетопротеина в сыворотке крови превышало верхнюю границу нормы в 15 раз. Генетический тест выявил три мутации в гене АТМ, в частности две известные патогенные замены нуклеотидов в гетерозиготном состоянии — с.8147Т&gt;С (p.Val2716Ala) и c.8584 + 2T&gt; C (Splice donor) и одну неизвестную ранее мутацию — c.3178A&gt;G (p.fle1060Val) — неопределенного диагностического значения в гетерозиготном состоянии. Проводили лечение валганцикловиром для подавления репродуктивной активности EBV, препаратом диализата лейкоцитов крови и пропесом для компенсации иммунодефицита и комбинированной терапией цереброкурином и цитиколином по поводу неврологического дефицита с частичным положительным эффектом. Данный клинический пример ярко демонстрирует потенциал нейроиммунологического подхода к ведению пациентов, поскольку исследуемый ребенок страдал как иммунодефицитом, так и неврологической дисфункцией, что связано с плейотропными эффектами мутировавшего гена, который был причиной развития болезни.

Effect of oral administration of colostrum on inflammation in the udders of dairy cows suffering from mastitis.

The present study was undertaken to examine whether oral administration of colostrum to mastitic cows reduced inflammation in the udder. Fifty milliliters of a colostrum whey product was administered orally daily for 3 days to cows suffering from mastitis. Milk was collected on day 0 and 7 of colostrum administration. For Experiment 1, milk from 11 udder quarters with high somatic cell counts (SCC) in four cows was used. SCC in milk decreased significantly after colostrum administration, whereas colostrum administration increased sodium and IgA concentrations significantly compared with those before administration. In Experiment 2, cows with clinical mastitis were divided into two groups, with and without colostrum administration, whereas all cows with subclinical mastitis were administered colostrum. Antibiotics were infused into the mammary gland from the first day of colostrum administration for 2–4 days. There was no significant decrease in SCC after colostrum administration in any group. However, udder firmness in both clinical mastitis groups was reduced after administration regardless of colostrum administration. IgA concentration in both clinical mastitis groups was significantly increased after colostrum administration compared to that before administration, although there was no significant difference between them. These results suggest the possibility that oral administration of colostrum attenuates inflammation of the mammary gland. Further studies are required to examine the effect of colostrum more precisely using cows with subclinical and chronic mastitis and longer duration of colostrum administration.

Comparative Effects of Compound Enzyme and Antibiotics on Growth Performance, Nutrient Digestibility, Blood Biochemical Index, and Intestinal Health in Weaned Pigs.

This experiment aims to explore the effects of compound enzyme preparation substituting chlortetracycline on growth performance, serum immune markers, and antioxidant capacity and intestinal health in weaned piglets. A total of twenty-four 28-day-old “Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire” weaned piglets with an average initial weight of 7.25 ± 0.25 kg were randomly divided into three groups according to their body weight, with eight replicates in each group and one pig in each replicate. The three dietary treatments were basal diet (CON), basal diet + 1,000 mg/kg compound enzyme preparation (cellulase 4,000 IU/g, α-amylase 1,000 IU/g, β-glucanase 150 IU/g, and neutral protease 3,000 IU/g, CE), and basal diet + 75 mg/kg chlortetracycline (CTC). The animal experiment lasted for 28 days and was divided into two stages: the early stage (0–14 days) and the late stage (15–28 days). The results showed that (1) compared with the CON, the CE and CTC significantly increased the ADG of weaned piglets during the early and whole period of experiment (p < 0.05), decreased the F:G in the whole experiment period (p < 0.05), and diarrhea rate in the early stage (p < 0.01). (2) Compared with the CON, the apparent total tract digestibility of ADF and NDF was significantly increased in pigs fed the CE diet in the early and late stages of experiment (p < 0.05) with no significant difference compared with the CTC. (3) Compared with the CON, the concentrations of serum IgA and SOD in weaned piglets were significantly increased in the CE group in the early stage of the experiment (p < 0.05). (4) Compared with the CON group, the acetic acid, propionic acid, and total VFA contents in cecum and colon segments were elevated in the CE group (p < 0.05) with no significant difference compared with the CTC. (5) Compared with the CON group, the villus height of duodenum and jejunum and the ratio of villus height to recess depth of ileum were increased in the CE and CTC group (p < 0.05). (6) Compared with the CON group, the abundance of Lactobacillus significantly increased (p < 0.01) while the abundance of Escherichia coli decreased in the CE group and CTC group (p < 0.01). In conclusion, CE preparation instead of CTC can significantly improve the nutrient digestibility, the immunity, antioxidant capacity, and intestinal health of pigs, which may contribute to the improved growth performance of piglets.

Elevated Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies and IL-6, IL-8, MIP-1β, Early Predictors of Severe COVID-19.

Viral and host immune kinetics during acute COVID-19 and after remission of acute symptoms need better characterization. SARS-CoV-2 RNA, anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgA, IgM, and IgG antibodies, and proinflammatory cytokines were measured in sequential samples from hospitalized COVID-19 patients during acute infection and six months following diagnosis. Twenty four laboratory confirmed COVID-19 patients with mild/moderate and severe COVID-19 were included. Most were males (83%) with a median age of 61 years. Twenty one percent were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) and eight of them (33.3%) met the criteria for severe COVID-19 disease. A delay in SARS-CoV-2 levels’ decline during the first six days of follow up, and viral load persistence until month 3 were related to severe COVID-19, but not viral load levels at the diagnosis. Higher levels of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgA, IgM, IgG and the cytokines IL-6, IL-8 and MIP-1β at the diagnosis time were related to the severe COVID-19 outcome. Higher levels of MIP-1β, IL-1β, MIP-1α and IFN-γ were observed at month 1 and 3 during mild/moderate disease, compared to severe COVID-19. IgG persisted at low levels after six months of diagnosis. In conclusion, higher concentrations of IgA, IgM, and IgG, and IL-6, IL-8 and MIP-1β are identified as early predictors of COVID-19 severity, whereas no significant association is found between baseline SARS-COV-2 viral load and COVID-19 severity.

IgA Vasculitis with Nephritis in Adults: Histological and Clinical Assessment.

Patients with IgA vasculitis (IgAV), an immune complex-mediated disease, may exhibit kidney involvement—IgAV with nephritis (IgAVN). The kidney-biopsy histopathologic features of IgAVN are similar to those of IgA nephropathy, but little is known about histopathologic disease severity based on the interval between purpura onset and diagnostic kidney biopsy. We assessed kidney histopathology and clinical and laboratory data in a cohort of adult patients with IgAVN (n = 110). The cases were grouped based on the interval between the onset of purpura and kidney biopsy: Group 1 (G1, <1 month, n = 14), Group 2 (G2, 1–6 months, n = 58), and Group 3 (G3, >6 months, n = 38). Glomerular leukocytes were more common in G1 than in the other groups (p = 0.0008). The proportion of neutrophils among peripheral-blood leukocytes was the highest in the patients biopsied within a month after onset of purpura (G1: 71 ± 8%). In the patients with an interval >6 months, the neutrophil proportion was lower, 60%. Moreover, the glomerular mesangial proliferation score correlated with the serum total IgA concentration (p = 0.0056). In conclusion, IgAVN patients biopsied <1 month from purpura onset showed an elevated percentage of blood neutrophils and glomerular leukocytes, consistent with an acute-onset inflammatory reaction. In all IgAVN patients, the mesangial proliferation score correlated with the serum IgA level.

Dietary Eucommia ulmoides Extract Alleviates the Effect of Cold Stress on Chick Growth Performance, Antioxidant and Immune Ability.

Simple SummaryThe cold stress that chicks suffer from has caused huge losses to the chicken industry. It is very important to find an effective way to alleviate cold stress in chicks. This study was designed to test the hypothesis that dietary Eucommia ulmoides extract alleviates the effect of cold stress on chick growth performance, antioxidants, and immune ability. Interestingly, Eucommia ulmoides extract supplementation improved the growth performance, antioxidant status, and immune response and reduced the organ damage of chicks caused by cold stress, which shows that Eucommia ulmoides extract has potent protective effects against cold stress. These findings will be very beneficial to break down the bottleneck issue of chick production caused by cold stress.This study aimed to investigate the protective value of Eucommia ulmoides extract (EUE) on chicks under cold stress. A total of 21 compounds were identified in EUE using mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Ninety chicks were divided into a control group (CS) fed a basal diet and an experimental group supplemented with EUE, exposed to 10 ± 1 °C for 8 h per day. Results showed, compared with the CS group, the body weights (BW) (p < 0.01) and average daily gains ADG (p < 0.05) of the EUE group were increased throughout the study period. Chicks fed EUE had higher AFI (0–7 d, p < 0.001) and lower feed-to-gain ratios (F/G) (0–15 d, p < 0.001). EUE increased the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) (15 d, p < 0.05) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) (7 d, p < 0.05), whereas it decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) (15 d, p < 0.01). The contents of IgA (7 d, p < 0.05), IgG (7 d; 15 d, p < 0.01), and IgM (15 d, p < 0. 001) were higher in the EUE group. Dietary EUE could also reduce chick organ damage. Overall, EUE as a natural feed additive can improve the growth performance, antioxidant capacity, and immune level, and reduce the organ damage of cold-stressed chicks.

Features of the immunological profile of blood and urine in patients with post-infectious glomerulonephritis.

The timely diagnosis and treatment of post-infectious glomerulonephritis (PIGN) is currently limited by the erased and low-symptom nature of the disease, which leads to the search for informative biological markers of the disease, which can be used as immunological indicators of blood and urine. The study was carried out in order to establish the characteristic changes in the immunological parameters of blood and urine in patients with PIGN. The study included 60 patients with PIGN from among the patients, hospitalized in the nephrology department of the Republican Clinical Hospital of Health Care Ministry of the Chuvash Republic in 2015-2018. In addition to the generally accepted research methods, the patients underwent: 1) the determination of indicators of innate and acquired immune response in the blood (CD3+ -, CD3+ CD4+-, CD3+CD8+-, CD4+CD25+-, CD95+-, CD20+-, CD14+CD282+-, CD14+CD284+- cells; levels of IgG, IgA, IgM, circulating immune complexes, C3, C4) and urine (levels of IgG, IgA, IgM, C3, C4); 2) the determination of the levels of cytokines - IL-1β, Ra-IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-8, IL-10, IL-17A in blood serum and urine. The data obtained were compared with those of the group of healthy individuals. The changes in blood immunological parameters, identified in the group of patients with PIGN, indicate the activation of innate immunity (the increase in the number of CD14+TLR2+- cells) and the humoral component of adaptive immunity (the increase in the number of B-lymphocytes, hyperimmunoglobulinemia - the increase in IgM and IgA levels) against the background of the decrease in the number of T (CD3+) - lymphocytes and regulatory (CD4+CD25high) - cells, hypocomplementemia (decreased levels of C3, C4). The increase in the content of C3, IgG and IgA was found in the urine. The cytokine profile of blood in patients with PIGN was characterized by the increase in the levels of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, Ra-IL-1β, IL-2, IL-8, IL-10, IL-17A, with the exception of IL-4, which remained on the levels of healthy individuals. The cytokine profile of urine in patients was characterized by the increase in the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-2, IL-8, IL-17A and anti-inflammatory cytokine - IL-10, with no changes in the content of Ra-IL-1β and IL-4. The revealed features of the immunological profile of blood and urine in patients with PIGN reflect the immunopathogenetic mechanisms of this disease.

Effects of a new fermented soya bean meal on growth performance, serum biochemistry profile, intestinal immune status and digestive enzyme activities in piglets.

Fermented soya bean meal (FSBM) is believed to have improved nutritional qualities compared with soya bean meal (SBM) and is also cheaper than soya protein concentration (SPC) and fish meal (FM). Therefore, the present study was conducted to compare the effects of FSBM replacing SBM, SPC and FM in diets on growth performance, serum biochemistry profile, short-chain fatty acid concentrations in digesta, intestinal mucosal enzyme activities, intestinal proinflammatory cytokine concentrations and morphology in weaned piglets. One hundred and twenty 28-day-old piglets (Duroc×Landrace×Yorkshire, body weight: 6.73±1.14kg) were randomly allocated to four treatment diets (six replicate pens with five piglets per pen) containing SBM, SPC, FM or FSBM as the protein source, respectively. Dietary FSBM supplementation improved average daily gain (p<0.05), gain to feed ratio (p<0.05), and digestibility of dry matter, gross energy, crude protein and organic matter (p<0.05) in pigs compared with those fed SBM during 0-14days and reduced diarrhoea rate (p<0.05) compared with those fed SBM and FM during 0-14days. Moreover, pigs fed FBSM had greater IgA and IgM contents and antioxidase activities than those provided SBM and SPC on day 14. In addition, the butyrate concentration in the cecum of pigs fed FSBM was greater than those fed the other diets (p<0.05), and the trypsin activity in duodenum and jejunum of pigs provided FSBM was greater than those fed SBM (p<0.05). Moreover, higher villus height (p<0.05) and villus height to crypt depth ratio (p<0.05) and lower crypt depth (p<0.05) in the duodenum of pigs fed FSBM were observed, and pigs fed FSBM had a lower (p<0.05) TNF-α concentration in jejunum compared with those fed SBM. In conclusion, dietary FSBM supplementation to replace SBM, SPC and FM could improve piglets' growth performance, intestinal health and immune function.

Effects of dietary supplementation with alpha-lipoic acid on apparent digestibility and serum metabolome alterations of sheep in summer.

To investigate the effects of alpha-lipoic acid (LA) on the nutrition metabolism of sheep (36.72 ± 1.44kg) in the summer, twenty-one sheep were randomly assigned to three treatments addressing LA supplementation: 0.00 (CTL), 600 (LA-L), and 900 (LA-H) mg/kg of dry matter (DM) per day for each sheep. Whole feces and urine collection methods were used to analyze apparent digestibility; ELISA kits to determine the hormones, antioxidant, and immune parameters in the blood; and serum metabolomics to detect and analyze small molecular substances. The results showed the DM intakes in the LA-L and LA-H groups were significantly increased by 8.22% and 8.02%, respectively, compared to that in the CTL group, and there was no significant effect on average daily gain, feed conversion ratio, nitrogen digestibility, calcium digestibility, and phosphorus digestibility. Regarding hormones, antioxidant, and immune indicators, the concentrations of triiodothyronine, superoxide dismutase, glutathione reductase, HSP70, and IgA significantly increased after LA supplementation, while adrenaline and malondialdehyde levels significantly decreased. With the pairwise comparison of the three groups, metabolomics analysis identified 22 differential metabolites in the positive/negative modes, respectively, which suggested LA supplementation can significantly affect sheep's lipid, amino acid, and nucleic acid metabolism. Additionally, 3-indolepropionic acid, cinnamoylglycine, butyric acid, dodecanedioic acid, indoxyl sulfate, and pantothenic acid were the common differential metabolites with higher concentrations after LA supplementation. In summary, dietary supplementation of LA can increase the sheep's DMI, energy digestibility, antioxidant capacity, and immunity. These changes provide evidence to support the use of LA supplementation for livestock.

A comparative evaluation of methods for estimating the colostrum quality in sows

ABSTRACT Colostrum is the main source of immunoglobulins (Ig) for neonate piglets and plays a crucial role within the health and growth of the piglet. Currently in pig farming, there are still no widespread practical methods for measuring the Ig concentration in colostrum at herd level. We evaluated sows’ colostrum IgG concentration using an optical and a digital Brix refractometer and their performance was correlated to an IgG ELISA test, and flow cytometry. Colostrum concentrations of IgG and IgA averaged 74.05 ± 21.37mg/mL and 20.2 ± 5.32mg/mL respectively. The mean value of the Brix percentages for optical refractometer was 26.32%, and for digital was 28.32%. The Brix refractometer measurements of colostrum samples presented high correlation for IgG content analyzed by ELISA (Optical = 0.74, Digital = 0.87; P &lt;0.001). Considering the immunophenotyping, the values for IgG and IgA lymphoblasts indicated a highly significant relationship to ELISA (IgG=0.77, IgA=0.84; P&lt;0.001). The Brix refractometer can be considered a useful tool to be included in a colostrum monitoring program to improve potentially neonatal health. In addition, we demonstrated that flow cytometry can be an important tool to analyze and characterize the immunological potential of sow colostrum.

Effect of Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor Combined with Erythropoietin on Chronic Granulocytic Leukemia with Anemia and Its Effect on Nutritional Status

Objective: To investigate the clinical effect of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor combined with erythropoietin on chronic granulocytic leukemia with anemia and its effect on nutritional status. Methods: 60 patients of chronic granulocytic leukemia of our hospital with anemia induced by maintenance chemotherapy were randomly divided into two groups. Patients in the control group received routine treatment, while patients in the observation group received basal treatment with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor and erythropoietin. The nutritional status before and after treatment as well as the immune function and the incidence of blood transfusion and adverse events were compared between the two groups. Results: There was no significant difference in hemoglobin, hematocrit, nutritional status and immune function between the two groups before treatment (P&gt;0.05). Those after treatment were significantly higher than that before treatment (P&lt;0.05). After treatment, the percentage of CD4* cells in the control group was significantly higher than that before treatment (P&lt;0.05), but the percentage of CD8* cells and CD47/CD8* cells did not change significantly (P&gt;0.05). After treatment, the concentrations of IgA, IgM and IgG in the observation group were significantly higher than those before treatment (P&lt;0.05), but only the concentrations of IgA and IgM in the control group were significantly higher than those in the observation group after treatment (P&lt;0.05). The incidence of adverse reactions in the observation group was significantly lower than that in the control group. Conclusion: Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor combined with erythropoietin can effectively correct anemia, improve nutritional status and improve immune function in patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia.

Nanoplasmonic Structure of a Polycarbonate Substrate Integrated with Parallel Microchannels for Label-Free Multiplex Detection.

In this study, a multiplex detection system was proposed by integrating a localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) sensing array and parallel microfluidic channels. The LSPR sensing array was fabricated by nanoimprinting and gold sputter on a polycarbonate (PC) substrate. The polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microfluidic channels and PC LSPR sensing array were bound together through (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES) surface treatment and oxygen plasma treatment. The resonant spectrum of the LSPR sensing device was obtained by broadband white-light illumination and polarized wavelength measurements with a spectrometer. The sensitivity of the LSPR sensing device was measured using various ratios of glycerol to water solutions with different refractive indices. Multiplex detection was demonstrated using human immunoglobulin G (IgG), IgA, and IgM. The anti-IgG, anti-IgA, and anti-IgM were separately modified in each sensing region. Various concentrations of human IgG, IgA, and IgM were prepared to prove the concept that the parallel sensing device can be used to detect different targets.

Clostridium butyricum Supplement Can Ameliorate the Intestinal Barrier Roles in Broiler Chickens Experimentally Infected With Clostridium perfringens.

Necrotic enteritis (NE), caused by Clostridium perfringens, is an economically important disease in the broiler. Among normal flora in the broiler intestinal region, Clostridium butyricum has been identified as a probiotic agent that reduces the susceptibility of broilers to C. perfringens. However, the effects of C. butyricum supplement on broiler intestinal integrity during NE are largely unknown. In this study, we investigated the effects of C. butyricum on the growth performance, intestinal morphology and barrier function, and the functions of immune-related cytokines under NE in broilers. Chickens were divided into five groups: control group (NC), supplement C. butyricum only group (CB), NE-infected group (PC), supplement C. butyricum from Day 14 (NECB1) to Day 22 NE-infected group, and supplement C. butyricum from Day 1 (NECB2) to Day 22 NE-infected group. The results showed that there were significantly decreased average daily weight gain and increased feed conversion rate in the infected group (PC) compared with the C. butyricum-supplemented groups (NECB1 and NECB2) through the diet. Histopathological observation on the Hematoxylin–Eosin staining avian small intestine sections revealed that supplementation of C. butyricum (NECB1 and NECB2) could increase the intestinal villus height/crypt depth and lessen the intestinal damage under NE. ELISA and Limulus test showed that broilers infected with NE (PC) had higher serum IgA and lipopolysaccharide content; however, after C. butyricum supplementation (NECB1 and NECB2), they returned to a normal level. Furthermore, real-time PCR and Western blot results indicated that compared with PC, supplementing C. butyricum (NECB1 and NECB2) could initialize the expressions of genes related to the intestinal barrier-associated molecules (such as CLDN-1, CLDN-3, OCLN, MUC2, ZO-1, and CLDN5), cytokines (such as IL-10, IL-6, and TGFB1), and C. perfringens plc gene expression. Moreover, the results detected by the Ussing chamber suggested that C. butyricum (NECB1 and NECB2) could amend the decrease in conductivity value and short-circuit current value caused by NE. In addition, NECB2 significantly reduced the upregulation of fluorescein isothiocyanate–dextran flux caused by the NE disease. In conclusion, these findings suggest that dietary supplementation of C. butyricum in broilers with NE improved chicken growth performance, intestinal integrity and barrier function, and immunological status. Notably, no statistical difference was observed with the addition of C. butyricum on day 1 or day 14.

Effect of dietary phytobiotic mixture on growth performance, nutrient utilization, and immunity in weaned piglets

This study investigated the effects of dietary phytobiotic mixture on growth performance, blood profiles, immune response, and fecal microorganisms in weaned piglets. Twenty four weaned crossbred piglets were equally divided into four groups in a completely randomized design. The animals in 4 groups were fed a basal diet added with (1) no antibiotics and phytobiotics (CON), (2) bacitracin (0.5g/kg; AB), (3) a blend of Cinnamomum zeylanicum and Trachyspermum copticum essential oils (0.3g/kg and 0.4g/kg, respectively; EO), and (4) plant extracts (PEO) of Mikania micrantha and Garcinia lanceifolia (2.8g/kg and 1.4g/kg, respectively) and C. zeylanicum and T. copticum essential oils (0.3g/kg and 0.4g/kg, respectively). Inclusion of AB, EO, and PEO did not affect final body weight, average daily gain, feed intake, feed efficiency, and nutrient digestibility. Compared with the CON, serum protein profiles were not affected, but a few lipid profiles were improved, particularly cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, and high-density lipoprotein in the EO and PEO groups. Lymphocyte proliferation index and concentrations of IgG and IgA and TNF-α were not affected by any treatments. The concentrations of IgM increased (P = 0.04) at 28days and tended to increase (P = 0.10) at 56days in the EO group. Serum IL-1β levels decreased on days 28 and 56 in the EO and PEO groups. Fecal Lactobacilli population generally increased (P < 0.01) in the AB, EO, and PEO groups compared with the CON. Fecal enterobacterial numbers were always greater for AB than for CON, EO, or PEO, but enterobacterial populations were sometimes lower in the EO group than the CON group. In conclusion, dietary EO or PEO has no effect on the growth performance, but it may improve a few lipid profiles, immune responses, and fecal microbial populations in piglets.

Impact of the harsh Antarctic environment on mucosal immunity

AbstractMucosal immunity of Indian Antarctic personnel was analysed during the 34th Indian Scientific Expedition to Antarctica (ISEA) by ship voyage. Serum and salivary IgA, IgA1 and IgA2 levels along with salivary cortisol and TGF-β were quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Samples were collected at three different time points (T1, T2 and T3) during the expedition. Serum and salivary IgA, IgA1 and IgA2 concentrations incrementally increased towards the end of the expedition as compared to the beginning of the expedition. Salivary IgA and TGF-β levels were significantly altered during the expedition. Levels of IgA1 (P = 0.0007) and IgA2 (P = 0.0135) increased significantly at T3 as compared to T1. Additionally, significant changes in serum IgA were observed, with peak levels at T3 (P = 0.0015) and T2 (P &lt; 0.001). However, the level of serum IgA2 was also significantly altered at T3 (P &lt; 0.05) and T2 (P = 0.0006) in comparison with T1. The exact cause of the changes in serum and salivary IgA, IgA1, IgA2 and TGF-β levels during the summer expedition are unknown; however, the changes are evident in mucosal immunity.

Effect of dietary black cumin seed (Nigella sativa) on performance, immune status, and serum metabolites of small ruminants: A meta-analysis

A growing number of publications are identified toward the use of black cumin seeds (Nigella sativa L) on small ruminant animals since many beneficial evidences have been reported in humans and animals. This study used a meta-analysis approach to quantify the effect of black cumin seeds (BCS) supplementation on the productive performance, nutrients utilization, and blood metabolites profile of small ruminant animals. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) protocols, a total of 23 studies were aggregated in a database and were analyzed using mixed model methodology classifying the studies as random effects and levels of BCS as fixed effects in the models. Results found that interaction between BCS levels and animal species tended to be significant whereas increasing dietary BCS levels linearly increased average daily gain (ADG) (p < 0.01, R2 = 0.538) and dry matter intake in lambs (p < 0.01, R2 = 0.958) but had no effect on sheep. Nitrogen (N) intake, and N digested were found to be significantly increased (p < 0.01) as inclusion rates of BCS increased while organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), and ether extract (EE) intakes tended to increased (p < 0.10). In addition to other immune responses, strong positive relationships were found on the increase of concentration of IgA (R2 = 0.922) and IgG (R2 = 0.939) (p < 0.05) in response to increasing BCS supplementation. To conclude, black cumin seeds can be used as a safe and beneficial feed supplement to promote the growth of small ruminant animals such as lambs, sheep, and goats.

Аналіз ефективності лікувального комплексу у хворих гастроентерологічного профілю з кандидозом слизової оболонки верхнього відділу травного тракту

Проблема лікування кандидозу слизової оболонки верхнього відділу травного тракту залишається актуальною у зв’язку з необхідністю як проведення етіотропної терапії, так і врахування варіабельності імунної відповіді при взаємодії макроорганізму й Candida albicans. Зниження імунореактивності в цьому випадку потребує проведення коригуючого лікування. Мета дослідження — вивчити вплив лікувального комплексу з включенням поліпептидного імуномодулятора імунофан на показники вродженого та адаптивного імунітету у хворих означеної групи. Згідно з отриманими результатами, пацієнтів з інвазією грибів у слизову оболонку відрізняє наявність імунодефіциту за співвідношенням лейкоцити/CD3+, що в 1,3 раза вище, ніж у хворих з орофарингеальним та поверхневим кандидозом (р &lt; 0,01). Після проведеного лікування у групі хворих з інвазією кандид у слизову оболонку первинно підвищене значення НСТ-тесту і цитохімічного показника активності нейтрофілів знизилося на 40,40 % (р &lt; 0,05) і 29,03 % (р &lt; 0,05) відповідно. Ці зміни в сукупності з підвищенням рівня циркулюючих імунних комплексів у 1,4 раза порівняно зі значеннями до лікування (р &lt; 0,05) та у 1,5 раза — порівняно з конт­ролем (р &lt; 0,01) свідчать про більш глибокі дефекти в системи вродженого імунітету, що, очевидно, зумовлюють як більш тяжкий перебіг захворювання, так і труднощі в лікуванні. У цілому застосування лікувального комплексу призводить до відновлення Т-клітинної ланки імунітету хворих обох груп з нормалізацією співвідношення Т-хелпери/Т-супресори, до підвищення рівня лактоферину в ротовій порожнині та підвищення концентрації IgA та IgG у пацієнтів з інвазією. Отже, комплексний підхід до лікування хворих з кандидозом слизової оболонки верхнього відділу шлунково-кишкового тракту та визначення стратегії й тактики подальшого спостереження є необхідними для ефективного надання медичної допомоги даній групі пацієнтів.

Імунологічні показники у дітей із різними формами ожиріння

Актуальність. Численні проспективні дослідження переконливо свідчать про прямий зв’язок ожиріння зі збільшенням ризику розвитку загрозливих для життя захворювань. Немаловажним є той факт, що більше ніж у 60 % хворих ожиріння бере свій початок саме в дитячому віці. Мета дослідження: оцінити стан клітинного та гуморального імунітету в дітей і підлітків із ожирінням. Мате­ріали та методи. Дослідження здійснювалося в три етапи. На першому етапі проведено одномоментне епідеміологічне обстеження дитячої популяції 7–17 років під час проведення профілактичних оглядів у школах м. Чернівців та Чернівецької області (936 осіб). Первинний скринінг включав опитування, антропометрію (ріст, маса тіла, розрахунок індексу маси тіла, вимірювання окружності талії (ОТ), окружності стегон (ОС), розрахунок співвідношення ОТ/ОС) та оцінку фізичного розвитку. Фізичний розвиток оцінювали за центильними таблицями. Із 936 осіб відібрано для детального дослідження 160 осіб: із надлишковою масою тіла (НМТ) — 35 осіб, з ожирінням (абдомінальний тип ожиріння — 35 осіб; рівномірний тип ожиріння — 35 осіб) та 55 здорових осіб. Абдомінальний (андроїдний, вісцеральний) тип ожиріння діагностували, якщо індекс ОТ/ОС для хлопчиків перевищував значення 0,9, а у дівчаток становив понад 0,8. Для оцінки імунного статусу дітей і підлітків визначалися показники клітинного та гуморального імунітету за тестами 1-го і 2-го рівня (СD3, СD4, СD8, СD16, СD19, СD22, СD72, HLADR, імунорегуляторний індекс (ІРІ), лейко-Т-клітинний (ЛТКІ, лейкоцити/СD8), лейко-В-клітинний (ЛВКІ, лейкоцити/СD19) індекси, індекс активності Т-лімфоцитів (ІАТЛ, HLADR/СD72), вміст імуноглобулінів класів A, M, G (IgA, IgM, IgG) у сироватці крові. Проводилося визначення ступеня імунодефіциту. Статистичний аналіз даних виконано з використанням пакета прикладних програм Statistica 10.0. Результати. У дітей з абдомінальним типом ожиріння вірогідно частіше реєструвалася вторинна гіпоталамічна форма (77,1 %) і III, IV ступінь ожиріння (III ступінь — 54,3 %, IV ступінь — 22,8 %). У групі дітей із рівномірним типом ожиріння вірогідно частіше констатовано первинну екзогенно-конституційну форму ожиріння (54,3 %) і I, II ступеня (I — 31,4 %, II — 60 %). Відносна кількість лімфоцитів, а також CD4+, CD16+, HLA-DR+ та фагоцитарний показник і фагоцитарний індекс вірогідно нижчі в усіх вікових підгрупах дітей з ожирінням різного типу. У дітей і підлітків із НМТ спостерігалася тенденція до зміни відповідних показників. У дітей із різними типами ожиріння простежується Т-клітинна імуносупресія, при цьому остання більш виражена при абдомінальному типі ожиріння. Також у всіх вікових підгрупах дітей із ожирінням підвищені ІРІ та ЛТКІ. Серед дітей і підлітків із різними типами ожиріння встановлено зниження концентрації IgA та IgM та тенденцію до зниження IgG. Висновки. У дітей з ожирінням встановлено відхилення в показниках імунної системи. Отримані результати можуть бути використані в практиці лікаря-педіатра, ендокринолога, імунолога для оцінки стану імунітету у дитини залежно від віку та форми ожиріння. Дітям із високим ступенем ожиріння необхідно періодичне дослідження імунного статусу з метою контролю стану імунної системи організму.